Corner of the Morning
Vorcza Finds Its True Voice

By Bobby Hankinson

One of the greatest challenges for an artist or a group is to translate studio-perfected, recorded work into a vibrant and engaging performance. But for Vorcza (pronounced Vor-jah), who is already gaining a local fan base thanks to their February appearance at Tammany Hall in Worcester, the struggle was quite the opposite.

After creating Vorcza in 1999 as an outlet for improvisation, keyboardist Ray Paczkowski, bassist Robinson Morse, and drummer Gabriel Jarrett were faced with the difficult task of taking their spontaneous jazz show and giving it a permanent identity on disc.

For its last release, “Corner of the Morning,” the band also grappled with a new challenge ~ adding vocals. “We spent a couple of years thinking about music with lyrics, but I never thought I would be the one singing,” said Paczkowski. “Now I feel like I actually can sing, but it was a long process.”

Luckily for Vorcza, the end result of their work, which has been making the rounds since December, is a complete success. The group has been able to maintain their propensity for meandering, organic melodies reflective of their improv roots. As a vocalist, Paczkowski’s gruff voice bounces between a low rumble and a slightly strained yell, but always carries a certain quality that drips with life experience and resiliency. When he makes his way through “Little Sister,” one his favorite tracks, the emotion is his voice is enough to reach out from the speaker and shake you.

The disc isn’t without Vorcza’s more typical, instrumental tunes, such as the aptly titled “Standard Stick.” Paczkowski said another of the lyric-less songs, “A Call for Demons,” was originally 20 minutes long ~ and cutting it down is just one of the sacrifices a jazzy jam-band has to make. “F/T,” which features Trey Anastasio from Phish on guitar, picks up the tempo and blazes with high-speed percussion, showcasing the kind of synergy the band can achieve even at a blistering pace.

Despite Paczkowski’s concerns that the record sounds too disjointed, the songs featuring vocals and the instrumental tunes without vocals work to balance each other out. The result is not a feeling of two separate albums, but rather of a dynamic record that illustrates three seasoned musicians’ talent and versatility. Even though the vocals may appear in some tracks and not others, the strong rhythm section gives each song a definite direction and keeps the wandering, breezy solos focused, while also providing a common thread throughout the album.

Paczkowski said the band is looking to keep playing shows (hoping to return to Worcester again in the spring) and is seeking out a distribution deal. In the meantime, however, Vorcza is just happy to have the opportunity to play with one another.

“It gives each of us something we can’t get some place else.”

Check out www.vorcza.com for more information on the band, how to order their CD, and their upcoming shows.